This invention is in the field of hand held sanding devices; more particularly, it is concerned with a sanding platen support for constraining motion of a sanding platen to a linear path.
Many different methods are disclosed in the prior art for supporting a sanding platen. In the U.S. Pat. No. 2,830,411 of Hartmann, a pair of supports carry horizontally slotted nylon bushings, which slots receive guide projection of a plate affixed to a sanding platen. The U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,703 of Anton discloses an electromagnetically vibrated device in which the platen is driven by one resilient member which also supports it, while it derives additional support from a second resilient member of added resilience to accommodate the platen motion. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,247 of Anton et al discloses a platen support with a plurality of resilient mounts disposed in angular relationship in a manner to confine the platen to motion in a linear path.
All of the above devices are characterized by the necessity for a plurality of parts which require separate manufacture and handling in assembly. What is required is a simplified and more economical arrangement for support of a sanding platen to limit its motion to a linear path. Ideally, such an arrangment should use as few parts as possible and require a minimum amount of handling in assembly.